In recent years there has been a serious increase in sexually transmitted disease. Sexual freedom among consenting adults has been a partial cause of this increase. In addition, oral contraceptives and a change in the mores has created a situation which has increased the number of sexual contacts, thus favoring dissemination of sexually transmitted disease. Since these factors are unlikely to change, sexually transmitted disease has now become a major public health problem. Some diseases which were formerly unassociated with sexual transmission such as B virus hepatitis are now known to be sexually transmitted. Other new diseases such as acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) are viral diseases which are usually transmitted sexually. A need therefore exists for all conceivable types of control measures to reverse the increasing incidence of sexually transmitted disease.
The intravaginal contraceptive doughnut shaped sponge containing a spermicidal agent has become an accepted method of birth control in western society. Yet this sponge does little to halt the incidence of sexually transmitted disease which is steadily increasing. Such sponges are formed of an open cell polyurethane foam sponge impregnated with a spermicidal agent, nonoxynol-9, (U.S. Pat. No. 2,541,103). Nonoxynol is a polyethylene glycol nonylphenyl ether which is a mild surfactant. Like other non ionic surfactants it is a cytolytic agent which acts by disrupting the plasma membrane of animal cells. It is not as effective on the cell walls of bacteria which are unlike the lipid containing membranes of animal cells. Unfortunately, nonyl-phenoxypolyethoxyethanol is only bacteriostatic and not bacteriocidal when placed in a culture of staphlococcus aureus (TSS-S aureus). Toxic shock syndrome (TSS) is caused by the proliferation of staphlococcus aureus in absorbent tampons at the time of menstruation and in contraceptive sponges used in the absence of menstruation. Although nonoxynol does suppress colony counts of staphlococcus aureus during the first 6 hours of growth in a culture medium, the number of bacteria in the culture flask after 30 hours has been shown to be identical to that of control cultures. (Contraception 33:395 1986). Therefore, nonoxynol does not prevent the growth of staphlococci in contraceptive sponges. The absorption of the toxins from proliferating staphlococci can produce toxic shock syndrome. Thirteen cases have been reported in users of a contraceptive sponge impregnated with nonoxynol. (Int Fertil [Sweden] 30:81 1985). In all of these cases, TSS-S aureus was cultured. It has been estimated that the incidence of TSS would be 10 cases a year per 100,000 women using the sponge. The current mortality from TSS is 3% (J.A.M.A. 251:1016 1984). The death rate in contraceptive sponge users is less than that occurring with tampons where the incidence of TSS is also 10 per 100,000 menstrual users (NEJM 303:1429 1980). Even though nonoxynol is only bacteriostatic, a study of prostitutes in Bangkok, Thailand who used nonoxynol-9 intravaginal contraceptive sponges showed that these prostitutes had a lower incidence of venereal disease (chlamydial infection and gonorrhea) than those who did not use this contraceptive sponge. (J.A.M.A. 257:2308 1987). The incidence of monilia vaginitis was increased because nonoxinol is not fungicidal. The slight reduction in the incidence of venereal disease in frequently exposed prostitutes is not acceptable with regard to disease prevention and the decrease in incidence is eventually eliminated by frequency of exposure. If a contraceptive sponge could be made which was spermicidal, virocidal, bactericidal and fungicidal, it would completely protect against sexually transmitted disease. Such a sponge would not only protect the female from sexually transmitted disease, but would be equally protective for the male. This consideration has not been addressed by the medical literature. Bactericidal tampons would eliminate the possibility of toxic shock syndrome. Such developments would fulfill major public health needs and lead to a reduction in the rate of sexually transmitted disease.